Florida father fatally shoots wife, wounds 5-year-old daughter and kills himself

A Florida man shot his wife and injured their 5-year-old daughter, who was orphaned, after he took his own life, police said.

The mother was returning from work to her condominium in Land O’Lakes around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday when her husband – who had been placed on a restraining order by his family – rushed towards her and the child and opened fire, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco told reporters.

The child ran inside and was followed by her father, police said. The mother, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was left in the front yard when the babysitter called 911.

When the deputies arrived at the house, the child came outside and the police noticed that he had a gunshot wound to his arm. It is not clear if she was an intended target.

“She’s a tough little girl,” Nocco said.

The girl told responding officers, “My father is upstairs. He’s in the main bathroom and I heard a bang,” Nocco said.

When police went in, they found her father dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The girl was taken to a local hospital where she is recovering from her injuries, police said.

The identities of those involved have not yet been released.

“Tonight we are dealing with a tragedy where a 5-year-old little girl is left without a mother and father,” Nocco said. “This kid is going to have to carry that for the rest of his life. Every time you talk about the holiday season, she will remember that awful time.”

The sheriff said the woman’s husband was arrested in August for domestic assault and the woman has applied for a protective restraining order.